Seam-pressing and smoothing device



- Filed Jan. 10, 1927 Patented Mar. 19, 1929.

u irse YSTATES vPATENTr OFFICE.

JACOB DAUTGH, 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO SAMUEL DAUTCH, OFBUFFALO, NEW YORK.

SEAM-IPRESSING AND SMOO'JI-IING DEVICE.

Application led January 10, 1927. Serial No. 160,162.

This invention relates to tools intended particularly for use byretailshoe dealers and others and has for its object the provision of a noveldevice by means of which the Seam at the back of the counter of a shoe,slipper, pump or the like may be pressed and consequently smoothed downso as to prevent chafing of the foot of the wearer.

Itis well known that shoes of all kinds have a seam at the center of theback of the counter and it frequently occurs that this seam is rough orprojects into the shoe or beyond the adj acent surfaces, therebydefining a ridge which is likely to cause discomfort to the wearer. I amaware that devices have been designed for pressing or working thecounter for the purpose of flexing or softening it but such tools do notoperate to smooth thefseam itself without affecting the stiffness of thecounteritself.

It is with the above facts in view that I have designed the presentinvention which has for an important object the provision of a device soconstructed and arranged as to apply pressure upon the center of theback of the counter of a shoe at the seam for effecting smoothingtheieof Without necessarily flexing, softening or in anyway distortingthe counter and possibly destroying its shape.

A more specific object of the invention is' to provide .a seam pressingor smoothing device constructed in the nature of a clamp hav-v ingportions to engage 'against kthe interior andexterior of the counter atthe seam and provided with means for applying substan tially as great adegree of pressure as may be desired for flattening the seam.

Another object ofk thel invention is to provide a device of thischaracter in which the shoe engaging portions are so shaped as toconform to the general and natural curvature at the back of the shoe sothat the shape there of will not be altered as a result'of the employment ofthe tool.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a tool of thischaracter which is of such construction as to be capable of use inconnection with shoes of any and all sizes.

and types or styles.

A still further'object is to provide a device of this character whichwill not mar or otherwise damage the finish and appearance of andinexpensive to manufacture, easy to apply, use and subsequently remove,positive in action, efficient and durable in service, and a generalimprovement in the art.

TWith the -above and other objects and advantages in view, the inventionpreferably consists in the detailed construction and the arrangement andcombination of parts to be hereinafter morefully described and claimed,and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, with parts broken awayy and insection, showing the device engaged upon the back of a shoe and readyfor operation,

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 2 2 ofFigure l, andf Figure 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing the letter A designates aportionof a shoe having the usual counter B at the -center of whatdiagrammatic and simply for the urpose of more clearly illustrating theuse o the invention. f v y In carrying out theinvention I provide a.relatively stationary member 10 which is here represented as ofsubstantially inverted `U shape and formed of some suitable metal,preferably by casting.y This frame or main member is shown as havingchanneled sides simply for the purpose of reducing the weight as it isquite evident thatit may be of solid construction throughout with flushorplane sidesif desired. One leg ll of this member may have its outerand inner edges or surfaces straight and parallel whereasV the other leg12 has its inner surface 13 curved and conveX so as to fit insubstantially conforming engagement against the inside of the back ofthe shoe, as clearly illustrated in Figure 1. All lcorners are of coursepreferably rounded off partly for the sake of neatness but principallyto avoid leaving sharp corners which would cause discomfort 'to theoperator in llO handling the device. The bight portion 1li of the member10 has its inner edO'e or surface formed with a guide rib l5 fbrapurpose to be described.

Located within the open central portion of the member 1() or between thelegs 11 and 12 thereof is a clamping plate 16 of curved shape adapted toengage against the exterior of the back of the shoe. The surface 17 ofthis clamping plate facing toward the surface 13 of the leg` 12 ispreferably parallel therewith so that when the clamping plate is broughtinto engagement with the back of the shoe and pressed thereagainst bymeans to be described there will be no tendency to distort or change thecurvature of the shoe counter. In order that the clamping plate 16 maybe guided in its movement toward and from the leg 1.2 of the mai Ymember', its upper edge is notched at 18 for sliding en gagement alongthe rib 15.

In order that the member 16 may be moved so that pressure may be appliedto the seam at the back of the shoe, I provide a screw 19 threadedthrough an opening in the leg` 11 and having one end equipped with ahandle 2O and its other end formed with a reduced eX- tension 21 fittingwithin a recess or socket in the rear or outer side of the clampingplate 16. A washer 23 is preferably mounted on the reduced extension 21and bears against the rear side of the member 16 and against theshoulder defined by the formation of the reduced end portion 21. Thewasher acts to a certain extent as a force transmitting member when thescrew 19 is turned for advancing the clamping plate toward and intocompressing engagement with the shoe.

To provide a suitable connection between the screw and the clampingplate so that the latter may be retracted from engagement with the shoeupon reverse rotation of the screw, I preferably employ a bolt or screw24 passing` through the clamping plate and threaded vinto the screw 19axially thereof. The screw 24- has its head tapered and countersunkwithin the member 16 so that the shoe engaging surface thereof will beflush andsmooth. To

avoid disconnection of the parts at any time .advance the plate 16 intoengagement with the exterior of the counter. rI"he surface 13 of theleg` 12 engages against the seam B to be pressed down or smoothed out.`rIhe application of continued pressure results in pressing the seamuntil it is in an absolutely flat by changing the shape thereof andlikewisey nothing to mar, scratch or otherwise damage the finish andappearance.

lhile I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of theinvention it should be understood that the disclosure is. merely aneXemplification of the principles involved and that the right isreserved to maire all'such changes and modifications as will widen thefield of utility and increase the adaptability of the device providedsuch variations corrstitute no departure from the spirit of theinvention or the scope of the claims hereuntoA appended.

Having thus described the invention, l. claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a relativelystationary member adapted to have a portion thereof engaged within ashoe in contact with the seam at the back of the counter, and arelatively movable member located within said first named member andadapted to engage the exterior of the shoe at the back of the counter'for applying pressure to the seam and flattening the same.

2. A device of the character described comprising a main membery havinga portion adapted for engagement within a shoe in cont-act with a seam,a clamping member movably mounted with respect to said first namedmember and adapted to engage'the exterior of the shoe at a pointopposite thev seam, and means for moving said movable member intocompressing engagement with the shoe for flattening the seam, saidlmeans comprising a manually operable screw having engagement with saidmovable member.

3. A device of the character described comprising a main member having aportion adapted for engagement within a' shoe in oontact with a seam, aclamping member movably mounted with respect to said first named memberand adapted to engage the exterior of the shoe at a point opposite theseam, means for moving said movable member into compressing engagementwith the shoe for flattening the seam, said means comprising a screwthreaded through a portion ofsaid main member and engaging the movablemember, and means for guiding the movable member in its movement andpreventing rotation under the influence of the screw.

4. A device of the character described comprising a main member having aportion adapted for engagement within a shoe in contact with a seam, aclamping member movably mounted with respect to said first named memberand adapted to engage the exterior of the shoe at a point opposite theseam, means for moving said movable'member into compressing engagementwith the shoe for flattening'the seam, said means comprising a manuallyoperable screw threaded through a portion of the main member, and meansswivelly connecting the screw with said movable member.

5. A device of the character described comn prising a substantiallyU-shaped member adapted to be straddlingly engaged upon the counter of ashoe at the back thereof and having a portion adapted to engage the seamin the counter, a clamping plate slidably mounted within said U-shapedmember Aand engageable with the exterior of the shoe, and screw meansthreaded through the U- shapedmember and connected with said clampingmember for moving the'same, the shoe engaging portion of said member andthe shoe engaging face of the clamping plate being curved andsubstantially parallel.

6. A device of the character described comprising 'a substantiallyU-shaped member adapted to be straddlingly engaged upon the counter of ashoe at the back thereof and having a portion adapted to engage the seamin the counter, a clamping plate slidably mounted within said U-shaped'member and engageable with the exterior of the shoe, and screw meansthreaded through the U-shaped member and connected with said clampingmember for moving the same, theseam engaging surface of the U-shapedmember and the shoe engaging surface of the clamping member beingcorrespondingly curved.

7 A device of the character described comprising a substantiallyU-shaped member kadapted to be straddlingly engaged upon the counter ofa shoe at the back thereof and having a portion adapted to engage theseam in the counter, a clamping plate slidably mounted within saidU-shaped'member andv tact with the seam at the back` of the shoecounter, a guide rih at the bight portion of the U-shaped member, aclamping plate located within the U-shaped member and having a notchslidably engaging said rib, and a screw threaded through the other legof the U-shaped member and having swivelled connection with saidclamping plate, the shoe engaging surfacesbeing substantially parallel.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

` JACOB DAUTCH.

